What to Expect
We achieve high quality, customized care to our clients by providing:
Superior Management Control
A manager or senior staff member is present at new client consultations. Logistically, this is hard, and many companies have given up on this. We continue this practice because we think it is beneficial for the client, sitter(s) and pet(s). It allows the client to ask all remaining questions they may have about our services, our policies and it also allows them to see who we are and get comfortable with the team they will be working with. If due to logistical reasons a manager or senior staff member cannot be present, we will schedule a phone interview with the client afterwards to fill in all the gaps that were left unanswered during the initial consultation with the dog walker or pet sitter. We understand that when you leave your home and furry friends in someone else's care, you find peace of mind by meeting the actual walkers/sitters.
Dedicated Staff Selection
We hire people we know. Before we connect, we ask each applicant to fill out a lengthy application on our website. Next step is a virtual interview followed by an in-person interview. During this process at the minimum 2 senior managers are involved. We also do a criminal background check and professional reference check. Field staff are selected for their maturity, flexibility, team-work spirit, passion for animals, common sense and joy to help others. We work closely with our team members and expect daily communication when on duty. We train our staff, get to know them well, so we are confident that they will take great care of your pets. Read more about our staff.
You Pay For Our Time
Our field staff gets paid for their time. When you choose for a 20, 30, 45 or 60 min visit, this means the pet sitter or dog walker checks in as soon as they enter your home and their time ends when they leave again. Note: visit time is not the same as the duration of the dog walk. Our visit starts when we enter and ends when we are leaving.
Quality Control
Managers routinely perform quality checks on field staff and have experience doing walks as well as other field work. Managers and senior staff also conduct shadow visits for dog walkers and pet sitters during which a new staff member is introduced in person to a new job at a client home. Management is part of the team and helps out when needed.
Proper In-Person Introduction
All field staff are introduced to a client's pet(s) before starting service, either through a new client consultation or shadow visit with another sitter. Many companies have given up on this practice because of the cost. However, we stand behind our policy that employees are more prepared, more organized, in control and comfortable with your pets when they have met them before. It's also important to have a good visual of your surroundings which is hard when you only are given notes. Likewise, your pet also prefers a friend over a stranger. We have followed this principle since our first day of business in 2008.
Excellent Customer Service
We are an office staff of 3. Phones and emails are answered during regular office hours and an on-call manager after hours is available for emergencies and last-minute updates. When you leave a voicemail, three people are notified asap. All emails sent to our office email are also monitored by the entire office team. Customized care and detailed care instructions are gathered through our initial client registration form and/or phone interview as well as at the new client consultation where our manager and/or one of our field staff comes prepared with a list of questions. Our office manager is responsible in keeping our client and pet profiles up-to-date.
Targeted Service Area
We focus on local clients first and stay within a smaller geographical service area, allowing us to provide better last minute, emergency, and the high-quality care our clients expect. Our main HUB is McLean/Tyson's Corner and we also service Vienna, Falls Church, North Arlington, Merrifield, and Dunn Loring.
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Your pets are valuable, so why not pick a business that delivers on value? We do not cut costs on quality, safety, or security. We are your insurance plan for great service. We take it to heart that we are dealing with living beings first and foremost. We treat both your pets as well as our staff with the utmost respect.
